Self-basting poultry products

ABSTRACT

A SELF-BASTING DRESSES POULTRY CARCASS, WHICH DURING COOKING BASTES THE SKIN OVER THE BREAST MUSCLE PORTION OF THE CARCASS, CONTAINS WITHIN THE BREAST ENLARGED RESERVOIRS OF ADDED EDIBLE FAT AND FLOW PASSAGES LEAD FROM THE RESERVOIRS TO THE INNER AND OUTER SURFACES OF THE BREAST SKIN WHEREBY DURING THE COOKING PROCESS BASTING FAT IS SUPPLIED TO THE SKIN.

Feb. 16, 1971 SELF-BASTING POULTRY PRODUCTS Filed Nov. 22,1967 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT S: DONALD V. SCH LL ALAN 8. ROGERS DENNIS CORBIND. v. SCHWALL ET AL 3,563,763 A D. v. SCHWALL ETAL 3,563,763

SELF-BASTING POULTRY PRODUCTS Feb. 16,1971

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 22, 1967 FIG. 2-

L S R W N O H E I. TC 8 N GR E S O Y v R flr W V C T D SWW L l A N N N AN U H OLE 8 B United States Patent US. Cl. 99-107 9 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A self-basting dressed poultry carcass, which duringcooking bastes the skin over the breast muscle portion of the carcass,contains within the breast enlarged reservoirs of added edible fat andflow passages lead from the reservoirs to the inner and outer surfacesof the breast skin whereby during the cooking process basting fat issupplied to the skin.

RELATED CASES This application is a continuation-in-part of ourcopending application Ser. No. 573,305 filed Aug. 18, 1966 now Pat. No.3,366,491 issued Jan. 30, 1968, which in turn is a continuation-in-partof our application Ser. No. 492,319 filed Oct. 1, 1965 now abandoned.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY The blasting of turkeys, chickens, and otherspecies of poultry has been practiced by the housewife for many years asa means for retaining the moisture in the meat so as to render it juicyand more palatable while also protecting the skin to give it an edibletexture, and further to give the skin the desired golden brown color.Unfortunately, such basting, which is accomplished by applying thejuices of the meat from the pan repeatedly to the skin of the poultry,usually requires an interruption of the cooking, drawing of the pan outof the oven, etc., and in the operation there is danger of burning thehands, splashing liquids outside of the pan, etc. If it were possible toproduce such basting without interrupting the cooking and withoutmanipulating heated liquids from the pan while still obtaining thebenefits of the basting operation, a substantial advance in this fieldwould be made.

We have discovered that by introducing an edible fat into the carcassbelow the skin that such basting material can be caused to feedoutwardly through apertures in the skin to provide a continuous andautomatic application of the edible fat onto the skin during the cookingoperation. Thus, without removing the poultry carcass from the oven,there is an automatic distribution of the basting fat over the skin ofthe bird. At the same time, the basting fat is applied to the inner sideof the skin, thus providing a double basting action during the cookingoperation. Further, after the basting fat, etc. is injected into thecarcass, the skin is effective in retaining the fat and the exterior ofthe skin may be washed so that a clean, clear surface free of fat ispresented to the plastic wrapper in which the bird is packaged.

A primary object, therefore, is to provide a raw, dressed poultrycarcass containing an added edible fat which is fed automatically anddistributed over the bird during the cooking operation. A further objectis to provide a method for treating raw, dressed poultry carcasses byincorporating an edible fat therein which will be fed "ice"automatically over the surface of the bird as the same is being cooked.A further object is to provide a selfbasting poultry carcass in whichedible fat is added to the carcass under the skin thereof and also inthe muscle portion thereof. Yet another object is to provide a processand product wherein a basting fat is added to a raw poultry carcassbelow the skin thereof and in which passages through the skin areutilized for distributing the basting fat over the carcass during thecooking operation. Other specific objects and advantages will appear asthe specification proceeds.

DRAWINGS The invention is shown, in illustrative embodiments, by theaccompanying drawings, in which-- FIG. 1 is a cross section of a turkeyin which edible fat is introduced under the skin of the turkey inaccordance with our invention; FIG. 2, a cross section of a turkey inwhich the edible fat is introduced not only under the skin but deeplyinto the breast muscle of the turkey to insert edible fat therein; andFIG. 3, a perspective view of a needle injection mechanism which may beemployed in the practice of our invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the illustration given in FIG. 1, A designatesthe raw carcass of a dressed turkey in which the breast muscle orportion is indicated by the numeral 10. Extending over the breastportion 10 is the skin 11. The breast portions 10 are separated by thekeel bone 12 which extends above the body cavity 13. Below the bodycavity are the backbone 14 and ribs 15. The leg bones are indicated bythe numeral 16, and the muscle meat thereof by the numeral 17. Skin 18encloses the leg portion 17.

As shown in FIG. 1, we inject a body of edible fat 19 by the use of anysuitable means, such as, for example, a syringe, the needle of thesyringe being inserted through the skin 11 and the needle moved underthe skin to distribute the fat in a line across the breast, asillustrated, or in any desired formation over the breast muscle 10. Ifdesired, it is possible to insert the fat from the body cavity 13through the muscle portion 10 until the fat lies adjacent the skin 11.The skin 11 may be provided with a series of perforations or apertures20 through which the edible fat may flow for even distribution of thefat over the skin during the cooking operation. The openings or passages20 may be formed at the time the fat is injected or, if desired, thehousewife may be instructed to make the perforations with a fork priorto placing the bird in the oven.

We prefer to introduce the edible fat deeply within the breast muscle10, as shown in FIG. 2. In this operation, needles 21 provided withspaced side openings 22 and communicating with a manifold 23 areinserted into the breast muscle of the turkey, and the edible fat 24 isdistributed by the needles 21 within the breast as indicated on therighthand side of FIG. 2 by the arrow 25. In this manner, depots of fatare formed within the breast of the turkey, and simultaneously flowpassages 21a are formed by the needles 21 so that the fat maysubsequently flow through the passages 21a and skin openings 20a to theexterior of the skin 11 for even distribution of the fat over the skinduring the cooking operation. By having the fat in stepped strata withinthe breast 10, it is found that as the bird is cooked, first theuppermost fat bodies are melted and brought to the surface of the skin,and then as the cooking proceeds the deeper depots of fat are brought bythe needle passages upwardly to the surface by the breast juices so asto distribute the fat over the skin 11. Thus there is a reservoir of fatwhich is utilized progressively to provide a continuous automaticdistribution of the same as basting fat over the skin. At the same time,it is found that as the skin is cooked, it tends to separate morecompletely from the breast muscle and the basting fat engages the innerside of the skin, thus bringing about a double basting effect.

Any suitable mechanism for injecting the fat into the poultry may beemployed. In the illustration given in FIG. 3, we provide a manifold box23 equipped with needles 21 having side openings 22, the needles beingof different lengths so as to enable the operator to inject the bastingfat into the breast of the poultry carcass in a single operation. Ediblefat, including edible oil, is fed from a reservoir through the flexibleconduit 26, and the flow to the manifold container 23 is controlled byvalve 27 actuated by the handle 28. The same mechanism may beconveniently utilized for injecting fat into the leg muscle 17 of theturkey or other species of poultry.

In the operation of the injection mechanism shown in FIG. 3, it issurprising to find that the skin 11 of the poultry carcass moves freelyas it is engaged by the needles 21, and normally when the instrument ispulled away to withdraw the needles it is found that the opening athrough the skin is not aligned with the needle passage 21a through themuscle 10, as shown on the left side of FIG. 2. This misalignment, whichoccurs because of the tendency of the skin to move instantly whenengaged, is an advantage in that the skin then seals off the needlepassages through the breast muscle 10 so that immediately afterinjection there is practically no tendency for the edible fat to flowout and onto the skin. The skin of the dressed poultry carcass stretchesand moves relative to the fixed body muscle 10 as much as one inchduring the handling of the bird, and such flexing of the skinindependently of the breast muscle 10 further facilitates theintroduction of edible fat below the skin, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Any suitable edible fat may be employed. We prefer to use an edible fatsuch as the common edible animal fats and oils or emulsions or mixturesthereof. By edible fats, we include fats and oils such as, for example,butter, butter oil, corn oil, lard, margarine, cottonseed oil, and otherwell-known vegetable and animal fats and oils. We prefer to employ foodfats and other glycerides having the characteristics of such fats. Theedible fat need be heated only to a temperature at which it is fluid orplastic so that it may be injected by the applicator or needles throughthe skin and into the meat body.

The size of the needles may vary depending upon the type of edible fatbeing injected. For example, we may employ needles ranging from about.018 inch in diameter to about A inch in diameter. The needles should belarge been obtained with needles having a diameter of about .021 inch(21 gauge) or higher. Since the body juices contain protein andcoagulation of the protein occurs, the passages within the rangedescribed minimize any blocking thereof by such coagulation and, inaddition, the edible fat itself lubricates the passages and aids theoutward flow of the basting fat.

The amount of edible fat may vary widely as, for example, in a range ofabout 0.2 percent to 20 weight percent, based on the weight of thecarcass. In the use of butter, as above mentioned, we prefer to use fromabout 1 to about 10 weight percent.

The edible fat may be used alone or in combination with salts, such assodium tripolyphosphate. In our copending application Ser. No. 492,319,sodium tripolyphosphate is suspended in the fat, but after the same isinjected into the poultry, the tripolyphosphate migrates from the fatand into the poultry meat, the fat thus remaining to provideself-basting for the poultiy throughout the cooking stage. In order tokeep the sodium. tripolyphosphate in suspension within the edible fatwhile the mixture is being injected into the poultry, the mixture israpidly agitated, and preferably we reduce the size of the phosphateparticles, as by the use of a colloid mill, so that these particles canbe maintained in suspension by moderate agitation during the injectionoperation. The sodium tripolyphosphate is utilized in retaining naturaljuices in the muscle portions of the poultry while the edible fat isutilized in spaced depots for continuously supplying the basting fat tothe outer surface of the skin.

A fter injecting the edible fat through needles, as above described,into the poultry carcasses, the carcasses may be chilled or frozen, andin this operation it is found that fats, such as butter or the like,congeal within the needle passages and maintain said passages intact sothat later when the carcass is being cooked, the pas sages serveeffectively as flow passages for the movement of the melted edible fatas it is propelled by juices, etc. toward the skin openings.

The cross section of the flow passages is substantially less than thecross section of the reservoirs some of which are at different depthlevels.

The dressed poultry carcasses which may be treated as above describedinclude turkeys, chickens, including hens, capons, geese, ducks,pheasants, and the like.

Specific examples illustrative of the invention may be set out asfollows:

EXAMPLE I Eight-pound turkeys which had been frozen and thawed to anaverage carcass temperature of F. were injected with 40 cc. of thefollowing materials per side of turkey breast:

(a) Butter containing 10% powdered tripolyphosphate (b) Water solutionof 10% tripolyphosphate (c) Butter alone (d) Control-no injection.

When the turkeys were roasted, they were evaluated for flavor,tenderness, and juiciness. The turkey injected with butter and phosphatewas rated best of all the samples tested. The turkey injected withbutter alone was evaluated as next in value for flavor, tenderness, andjuiciness.

EXAMPLE II A thawed l2-pound, 13-ounce turkey was injected with 12ounces of butter into one-half of the breast using an 18-gauge needle.The turkey was then roasted uncovered in a 320 F. oven. During roasting,the injected butter gradually basted the surface of the turkey andimparted a golden brown, moist, basted appearance, whereas thenon-injected (control) half of the breast had a dry surface.

EXAMPLE *III Approximately 20 holes were pierced into one side of a17-pound turkey with a 27-gauge needle, and on the other side 5 /2ounces of melted butter were injected into the breast with a 21-gaugeneedle. The butter-injected side of the turkey basted itselfsatisfactorily from approximately two-thirds of the holes duringroasting in a 320 F. gas range oven, the results being similar to thosedescribed in Example 1.

EXAMPLE IV A 17-pound turkey was injected with cc. of vegetable oil bythe use of an 18-gauge needle along a line of holes on the top rightside of the breast near the keel bone. Forty cc. of vegetable oil wereinjected with a inch diameter needle along the lower side of the rightside of the breast. The left side of the breast had holes puncturedthrough the skin with /8 inch needles without applying any oil. Duringroasting, some basting due to the flow of natural juices was noted fromthe left side of the turkey where no oil had been injected, but most ofthe skin surface had a dry appearance.

Basting tended to discontinue after awhile from the small holes in thevegetable oil-injected side approximately halfway through the roastingperiod. The larger (Vs-inch) oil-injected holes basted continuouslyduring roasting. The right side of the turkey breast had a golden brown,moist, basted appearance, whereas the left side had a dry surface. Theskin of the turkey through which the needles were passed in making theinjection of the oil into the breast tended to shift into a positioncovering the opening in the breast muscle after the removal of theneedles so that the injection area could be effectively washed topresent a clean, attractive carcass surface for encasing in plasticwrappers.

EXAMPLE V A group of fresh chilled, ready-to-cook turkeys, averaging 12pounds, were injected with a butter mixture in the breast by :anapplicator illustrated in FIG. 3 and in the legs by a similar devicecontaining fewer needles. The turkeys were roasted by several commonroasting methods and the turkeys exhibited the distinctive appearancedescribed in Example II.

In injecting edible fat into the leg muscles, we prefer to use amanifold and needle injector similar to that shown in FIG. 3 but havingfewer needles, such a manifold being shown on the righthand side of FIG.2, the manifold being indicated by 23a and the needles by 2211.

While in the foregoing specification we have set forth structure andprocedure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustratingembodiments of the invention, it will be understood that such detailsmay be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing fromthe spirit of our invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-basting poultry product which during cooking bastes the skinover a poultry carcass meat portion, comprising a skin-covered rawdressed poultry carcass meat portion having enlarged reservoirs of addededible fat in said meat portion, and flow passages leading fromreservoirs in said meat to said skin to permit fat flow for basting saidskin, the cross section of said flow passages being substantially lessthan the cross section of said reservoirs of fat and said fat beingpresent in an amount whereby subsequently during cooking said edible fatflows from reservoirs in said meat through passages to baste said skinover said poultry meat portion.

2. The product of claim 1 in which said meat portion is the poultrybreast.

3. The product of claim 1 in which the carcass portion is frozen.

4. The product of claim 2 in which flow passages extend through thebreast skin for basting the outer surface of said skin.

5. The product of claim 2 in which passages through said skin aremisaligned with passages in said breast and imperforate skin portionsoverlie passages in said breast.

6. The product of claim 1 in which the fat is butter.

7. The product of claim 1 in which the fat is margarine.

8. The product of claim 1 in which the fat is corn oil.

9. A self-basting poultry product which during cooking bastes the skinover a poultry carcass meat portion, comprising a skin-covered rawdressed poultry carcass meat portion having enlarged reservoirs of addededible fat at different depth levels in said meat portion, and flowpassages leading from reservoirs in said meat to said skin to permit fatflow for basting said skin, the cross section of said flow passagesbeing substantially less than the cross section of said reservoirs offat and said fat being present in an amount whereby subsequently duringcooking said edible fat flows from reservoirs in said meat throughpassages to baste said skin over said poultry meat portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/ l947 Tichy 99l07 OTHERREFERENCES HYMAN LORD, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 99-194

